The Shooting Star
by Cody The Maverick
Summary: He learns the truth. But is it as bad as he thinks?


The Shooting Star

_A CWACOM Oneshot fanfic by Cody The Maverick_

_Flint's POV_

It was deep into the night. The stars up above shimmered like there was no tomorrow, for they were the other Swallow Falls townsfolk. But I, I was the shooting star, totaly unlike the rest. On this particular night, I needed to sort out my mixed feelings, so I snuck out from my lab and took a walk into the island's forest in the dead of the night. No one else would notice, but I guess no one else cared. It was long after my famous food storm, everything was cleaned up, but the town was still ruined. Even though the rest of the town had blamed themselves and their requests for the storm, I still believed in my heart that I was the one who solely caused this entire mess. All I ever wanted was acceptance, from both my town and my dad, but who would have thought that I'd end up causing the worse food storm in world history! If only I didn't create that FLDSMDFR....

But that was not the greatest of my problems. I was out this late because eariler that day, I discovered the truth about what made me ME. And at first I couldn't believe it was real, but after looking back to my past, I realized it was true. I could still remember the doctor's grave voice....

_"After taking a brain scan from him, we discovered that the chemical levels in his brain were quite abnormal. Furthermore, after giving him a blood test, we found out that some of the DNA protiens in his 5th chromosome had suffered a genetic mutation...."_

Plain and simple, that day, I, Flint Lockwood, was diagnosed with Autism. Well, Asperger's Syndrome to be exact.

As I continued to walk along those empty streets, heading towards the forest, I was flashing back to everything I had ever done. And it all fit the diagnostic criteria.

_The way I've obbsessed over science and inventing ever since I was little..._

_How I've always been socialy awkward..._

_The way that I walked, talked, and understood others, and how it was so out of sync..._

I always felt different in every single way, but I just didn't know why. Now I did, and it didn't make things any better. Growing up, I felt like I belonged on another planet, and now I felt like firing up my Flying Car II and flying off to live on Pluto. And worst of all, Asperger's has NO CURE. So, just like my Spray-On Shoes, it would stick with me my entire life. It would scar me even deeper than the food storm would.

After walking for quite a bit, I finaly arrived at the edge of the forest, where I could think things through a bit more clearly. I saw just where I wanted to be, the fallen log bridging the small creek. As I sat on the branch that had fallen just like my spirit had done that night, I noticed my own reflection in the water below, as it showed me my expression of sadness. I tried to crack a smile back at it for even one second, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. For this was ME, the face of who I was, and the face of how the world really saw me. And if the world had eyes, it would crystal clearly see that I was as different as a yellow flower in a field of blue ones. Even though I look normal at first glance, my brain and mind is what makes me stand apart....and alone.

I felt a single tear embrace my cheek, then fall down into the grey-tinted water, momentarily blurring my reflection. But just when I was going to burst into more salty tears that would match the hopelessness of what I had experienced eariler that day, I heard a voice on the wind....

_"Flint....." _it called. _"Flint Lockwood, my son..."_

The voice sounded so...local to me...I've heard that voice before!

"MOM!?"

Lo and behold, it was the ghostly spirit of my mother Fran.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

_"I thought you might need some help. Now, look down there, and what do you see?" _ She directed my eyes to my reflection in the water again.

I wasn't in a good mood to tell her. "An Asperger Syndrome outcast who is even more of an outcast because he nearly destroyed the world with giant food."

_"NO! That's not what I see, and I bet that's not what the world sees either." _She continued._ "You know what I see? I see a special young man, and even though his mind may be wired different, it has helped him be happy and live his life to the fullest. And his brain, although it may be unusual, has great ideas that no one else could think up, and those ideas may someday change the world!"_

Just then, my reflection started to smile at me, but it wasn't my reflection alone that was grinning, I, myself, was smiling right back at it! I was crying tears of joy now, for I had taken my mother's words to heart, and realized that she was right!

"Thanks mom," I said back to her. "I know you'll always believe in me."

_"I sure will. And remember, the world needs your orignality, even if it comes from the mind of someone with Asperger's!" _ She said as she faded away, leaving her advice in my heart.

As I headed back home that night, I actually felt glad that my mind was a little odd. I didn't live in the "normal-minded" world, but at least I got a world of my own, a world of my dreams and unique ideas. And if I ever got lonely, I would have my dreams to keep me company. But I wouldn't care, because as long as i'm happy and just be who I really am, i'll be just fine.

Hey, maybe being the shooting star isn't so bad after all.

_For the child with the mind of an adult, and the adult with the mind of a child._


End file.
